Route marker for addressing machines



Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

EDVIIN R. SMITH, OF FITCHBURG, lvIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AUTO-MAILING MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION F MASSACHUSETTS.

ROUTE MARKER FOR ADDRESSING MACHNES.

application' fried July 28,1922. serial No. 578,183.

To @ZZ/whom it may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, EDWIN R. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at li`itchburg, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Route Marker forA Addressing Machines, ot' which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates particularly to machines for addressing newspapers, magazines or other periodicals. In the use of such machines, the stencils for each particular route or mailing station are grouped together and are fed through the machine in succession. It is desirable to operate the addressing machine continuously without stopping the machine at the end of each so-called route and when'thus continuously operated some provision is necessary to enable the operator to quickly separate and assemble the different route packages.

It is the object ot my invention `to provide means for thus distinguishing the routes, preferably by placing a mark on the last paper or magazine in each route.

A particular feature of my invention consists in controlling the operation of the route 'marker directly by the stencils. A further feature relates to the provision of both primary and secondary contact closing devices, the circuit being broken ata point kremoved from the stencils, magazines and marking mechanism, and fully protected.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form ot the invention is sho-wn in the drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation, showing the-relation of the diierent parts of my improved route marker; Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the marking mechanism and lcertain parts associated therewith Fig. 3 is a plan view of a series of sten- Fig. 4 shows the mark as it appears on the magazines.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown conveying devices and 11 by which magazines M are fed successively through the machine. The stencils S are also Jfed' successively through .the machine along. a path below and at right angles to the path of movement of the magazines. As each magazine is halted' in addressing position, inking devices (not shown) act through an operatively positioned stencil to imprint an address thereon. The magazines then move Y forward and the stencils move transversely to bring a new magazine and a new stencil in co-o'perative relation.

The mechanism for thus feeding the magazines and stencils and Jfor impressing the address on the magazines Jforms no part of my present invention and is not shown in detail herein. Y

My improved routemarker device comprises a marking arm 12 (Fig. 2) pivoted at 13 on a fixed-bracket 14 and having an upwardly extending arm 15 to which is pivotally connected a solenoid plunger 1G. The plunger 16 extends within a solenoid coil 17V having wires 18 and 19 (Fig. 1) connected to its terminals. A spring 2O on the plunger 16 normally holds the marking arm 12 yieldingly raised above the path ot' the magazines.

Any suitable marking device may be provided on the arm 12. As shown herein, the marking device comprises a wick or tape 21 having a portion extending through slots 22 in the lower face of the arm 12and having its remaining portion disposed in a pocket 23 adapted to contain ink or other marking material. `Whenever the solenoid is energized, the plunger 16 will be drawn therein and the arm 12 will swing quickly downward,'causing the wick or tape 22 to engage a magazine and place a conspicuous mark 24 thereon as shown in Fig. 4.

The wire 18 vconnects the solenoid to a contact screw 25, mounted on a plate 26. A second contact stud 27 is secured in a pivoted arm 28 and is yieldingly held in engagement` with the contact screw by a spring 29. The spring 29 also forms a part of the circuit from the stud 27 through a binding screw 30 and wire 31 to a contact spring 32 engagingra rotary circuit closing member 33. The wire 19 from the solenoid 17 is similarlyconnected to a second contact Y spring 34.k

The rotary member 33 is of insulating material but is provided with a metal conducting plate 35 at one point in its cir- Cil cnmterencc. The Contact springs :ind 3-1- nre mounted on nn 'insulating bese 3G und there is no electrical connection between them except :it the inStnnt when the),v hoth rest on the plete 235 et the rotating circuit closing member 33.

The nrin QS snppoitinp,l the contact stud 2T in pivoled :it 3T to the plete 2F :ind is provided with n laiteriill)y projecting: nrin 38 which in positioned tor einnieeincnt hy the Stencils :ind which nets ne :i ntencil lceler or detector. The :irin :hl preferably has n rounded lower portion 8S) which is engnig'ed :nid ruined hy n stencil pnssine thereunder, thon eeinirzitine the contnct points 2o :ind 2i' :ind preventing' the operntion oit the solenoid when the contnct :armo lil .find il nre connected through the plete 235.

nt or nenr the end ol euch rente, n stencil 'Yhns n portion ot' one corner eut nivny, :is indicated nl' flti. :ind the 'lecler 3S) is so "ponitioned that this' stencil h3 ivill Stop in ite intermittent ndvnnce with the portion ll) directlr onder the `ntencil lieeicr or detector hl. Thin permite the detector to swine' downwnrd, which in turn permits; the contnct points und '2T to engnge erich other und thus complete the electric circuit trom the solenoid to the contnct nrms l :ind B-I-V. The rotating;` device Si?) in so timed in relation to the driving mechanism oi the magazine sind ntencil teedo thnt the plete lo wiil ene'ne'e :ind connect the :n'nns l2 nnd 2H- \vhile the Stencil ci in poeition permitting` entrait .nient o i the contact points; .25 :ind

The solenoid circuit thns completed :ind the nmrltine' nrm 'lil i'vill he nctunted to pince :i mirri; 2l upon the inet nnrezizine ot that route. Atothe nnicgnrezince nrc thcreniter delivered from th :iddreseinl,r nicchnnisn'i, the opernlor need merely ssepnrnte :ind :ieeenihle the mnen'fsinee :it the ditierent rente mnrlts.

The parte nrc no timed thatl the plete closce :ind opens the circnit through the :irme 23:2 ond St, while the contnct points 25 :ind 2.7 remain in engagement. It ohrions ihnt the rotating' nieinlier 2l?, nnrv he placed nl :inv dintnnce 'from the stencils, magazines und nini-hing n'ieclninisni ond that it may he suitably encloiled to nvoid the possiliiilitv ol lire which inn ht ntnrt trom the epnrlt when the circuit is hrolicn. This is :in importent nd'nntnge over certnin route mnrlters hereto'lore need in which the circuit wais closed und broken dircctl7 h v the Stencil itself, nn arrangement n'hich mode it prncticnlliT 'iinpossihle to enclose and protect the circuit lncnlcin elements.

I-'lnving thus described my invention ond the advantages thereof, I do not Wish to he limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than :is set forth in the claims, hnt what I claim is:-

l. tronto nnirltcr comprising :L n'nirlting,r device, nn electrical operating mechanism there'l'or inclndilre,` n circuit for the open ating current, n nornndly closed Contact de` vice in :seid circuit opened by engagement with :i regidor Stencil :ind renininintr closed dnring' the prii'itinnl inlervnl ony the presentation thereto ot n Stencil hnving Special provision to indicate the end of n rente. n second :ind normnlly open contact device in seid circuit in serien with sind first device, und menne to close Suid cecond Contact device dni-ing' the printing,r interval.

2. fr route nnirlcr coniprisinel :1 nun-kine device, :in electricnl ope 'niine nieclnininn thcrel'or including' :i cirenit tor the operntingr current"7 :i normally closed contzict dericc in @nid circuit opened hy enengement with n regiulnr stencil :ind remninine' cloned dnrine,l the printing interval on the presentntion thereto oi :1` ntencil hnvine n portion ent iii-ny to indicnte the end oli the route, :i second nod nornnill'v open contnct device in seid circnit in Ferien with nnid I'irst device. nnd menne to close :mid :second contact device duringil the. {,nintine' interval,

2-1). A ronte marker comprising;` n. marking' device :ind controlling` dovices therefor. Suid devices including' :i ree'nlnrly opernted con- Izict device, opened :ind closed ntieneh :1ddreseinr' operntion ol the machine :1nd n second e'ontnet device nornnill),r cloned hilt held open Irv eiie'zin'ement with n reenlnr stencil nt the time when eziid liret contzict iS cloned,l nnid Second contnct device reninininn' clorcd during the printing intervnl on preeentzition ol n ,Qpecinl stencil indicnting the end o'tn ronte.

.l. it ronte innrlter eoniprieinp; n nnirltngr device, :in electrical operative mechanism therefor. n regularly nctnnted contect Cloner, :ind :i second sind normally cloned contnct derico opened hy engi'nejeinent with n rennlnr lStencil in the .iiincliine lint renniiniiig closed dnrins; the printing intervnlnhen n speciaal ronte-indicntinir Stencil is presented thereto.

A route nlzirlcer eomprinine' n nini-king.: device, on electrical operative mechanism therelior, n retgulnrljc7 netnnted Contact closer, :nid :i second nnd nornnill)7 closed Contact device opened dnrinp; the possono ot regulan' stencils throneh the mnchine but renininiirg;V cloned during' the printing' interval on presentation ot' n stencil having' n portion cut envoy zit its point ot engagement with seid second contactdevice.

In testimony Whereot1 I have hereunto ntiixed my Signature.

EDIVIN R, SMITH. 

